1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers for medical supplies, such as, for example, gauze pads, bandages, surgical pads and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved structural arrangement for orienting the hinged closure portion of the container relative to the main body portion and locking the closure into the preferred orientation with the main body in a closed position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The container art is replete with diverse types of containers, or receptacles, for such items as gauze pads, bandages and the like. Typically, such containers are fabricated from plastic or metal and are of unitary or multiple piece construction.
Exemplary of the prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 2,492,864 which discloses a container, typically used for pills, which includes a bead and indentation pivot means in cooperation with a bead and indentation lid locking means. Similar structures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,511,433; 3,966,083 and 4,102,452.
Another common type of lid locking means is the hook and slot type. This type locking means is exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,605,926; 2,645,334; 3,285,464; 3,458,113; 3,811,563; 3,909,092 and 4,011,940. Each of the immediately above-described patents discloses a modification of the basic concept of the hook and slot locking means disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 2,605,926.
Nothwithstanding the existence of numerous types of containers suitable for storing medical bandages and the like, there is still a need in the art for providing a container which can be expediently and inexpensively manufactured yet which provides means not only to lock the closure in place but also to orient the closure with respect to the main body to provide a snug and well-aligned fit of the closure. There is especially a need in the art to minimize production costs in view of ever increasing prices of materials and labor. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive easily fabricated unitary container.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a container including means to orient the closure relative to the main body while simultaneously providing means to lock the closure onto the main body. Another object of the invention is to provide an orientation and locking means which restrains closure movement in both the vertical and horizontal direction relative to the main body of the container.